This week’s natural health research roundup: decades of data on coffee and dementia risk, a daily avocado-and-mango habit that improved blood vessel function in prediabetes, unsweetened cranberry juice and dental plaque, and the tiny mitochondrial proteins linked to a Mediterranean way of eating.
Baduanjin, the “eight pieces of brocade,” is a 15-minute qigong routine dating to the Song dynasty. A year-long 2026 trial in JACC found it lowered blood pressure about as well as brisk walking, and reviews link it to better balance, sleep, and mood. Here’s how to start.
Olive oil, vegetables, beans, nuts, and fish: the traditional Mediterranean way of eating is linked to up to 23% lower risk of early death in a 25-year study of women, and trials show it protects the heart. Here’s what the research found and how to eat this way at home.
Saffron has been prized as a mood-lifting spice in Persian, Ayurvedic, and Chinese medicine for centuries. Today, more than 20 clinical trials suggest a small daily dose can ease low mood and anxiety. Here’s what the research shows and how to use it well.
In the landmark SSaSS trial, nearly 21,000 people who switched to a potassium-enriched salt substitute had 14% fewer strokes and 12% fewer deaths over about five years. The World Health Organization now recommends the swap for many adults. Here is how to balance sodium and potassium naturally.
A 2025 Australian trial in JAMA Network Open found yoga relieved knee osteoarthritis pain just as well as a proven strengthening program, with extra gains in stiffness, mood and quality of life. Here is the research and a gentle, knee-friendly yoga sequence to try at home.
Flax has been food and medicine since ancient Greece. In a Canadian trial, 30 grams of milled flaxseed a day lowered systolic blood pressure by about 10 mmHg, and reviews link whole flaxseed to lower LDL cholesterol. Here is why ground flax deserves a daily spot in your kitchen.
Milk thistle has been Europe’s go-to liver herb for centuries. A 2024 review of 26 randomized trials found its active compound, silymarin, lowered liver enzymes in people with fatty liver, and a Malaysian trial saw less scarring. Here is what the research shows and how to use it wisely.
Short, late or irregular sleep can make insulin work less well within days. Here is what the research shows, and how an Ayurveda-inspired daily rhythm can help steady your blood sugar naturally.
Large studies of nearly 90,000 tracker wearers and 350,000 adults suggest that fitting your weekly 150 minutes of activity into one or two days brings benefits much like daily exercise. Here is what the research shows and how to do it safely.
The American Gut Project found that people eating 30 or more different plants a week had more diverse gut microbes. Here is the science, the traditional roots, and easy ways to count herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, beans and grains toward your 30.
A three-year Swiss trial found that a daily gram of omega-3 slowed epigenetic aging clocks in adults over 70, and adding vitamin D and simple strength exercise boosted the benefit. Here’s how to bring this sea-and-sunshine wisdom into your week with food, sunlight and movement.
This week’s natural health research roundup: daily peanuts and brain insulin response in older adults, a study of nearly 486,000 people on tea and heart health, a prebiotic fiber that eased knee arthritis pain, and a diet-and-exercise program that put over half of young adults’ type 2 diabetes into remission.
From Greek horta to Indian saag, nearly every traditional cuisine treasures its greens. Research now links about one serving of leafy greens a day to a brain that ages more slowly and to a healthier heart. Here’s why, and easy ways to eat more.
When negative drug trials disappear and positive ones are promoted, the evidence doctors rely on looks stronger than it really is. From antidepressants to Paxil’s Study 329 to Tamiflu, here’s what the record shows and a practical toolkit for informed patients.
Cranberries have a centuries-old reputation for bladder health, and a 2023 Cochrane review of 50 trials found cranberry products cut the risk of UTIs by about 30%. Here’s how the berry’s unique compounds work and how to use cranberry juice wisely.
The Maya and Aztecs prized cacao as a sacred drink. In the large COSMOS trial, older adults taking cocoa flavanols had 27% fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease, and a 2025 follow-up found lower inflammation. Here is how to get real cacao benefits without the sugar.
A major 2024 BMJ review of 218 trials found that walking or jogging, yoga, and strength training all meaningfully eased symptoms of depression. Here is what the research shows, which kinds of movement help most, and how to build a mood-lifting routine.
People who ate a handful of nuts every day were 20% less likely to die during a Harvard study of nearly 119,000 adults, and a major Spanish trial linked daily mixed nuts to fewer heart attacks and strokes. Here is why nuts deserve a daily place on your table.
This week’s natural health research roundup: ten healthy eating patterns linked to slower biological aging, a sugar in red meat tied to diabetes risk, a vitamin C trial in pre-leukemia blood disorders, and why whole foods may beat fish oil pills for the brain.
From Indian dal to Mexican frijoles to Mediterranean hummus, legumes have fed long-lived cultures for millennia. Research links them to longer life, lower LDL cholesterol, and steadier blood sugar. Here’s why, and how to eat more of them.
Our roundup of the most interesting health research making headlines this month: how few daily steps it may take to protect the brain, why late-night snacking may harm the liver, a two-year trial on diet drinks, and why statins cause muscle pain for some people.
From OxyContin to Vioxx to Theranos, some of the biggest health disasters of our time were driven by profit and deception. Here’s what really happened, how it came to light, and the practical tools you can use to make informed decisions about your own care.
Every traditional culture has its fermented foods. A Stanford trial found that eating more of them for 10 weeks increased gut microbiome diversity and lowered 19 inflammatory proteins in the blood. Here’s how to add these living foods to your table.
Blueberries were a sacred food for Native American tribes. Today, large studies link them to slower brain aging and fewer heart attacks, and a new 2026 pilot study explores their effect on mood. Here’s why these berries earn their superfood title.
Montmorency tart cherries are one of nature’s few food sources of melatonin, and they are packed with anti-inflammatory anthocyanins. Small trials show tart cherry juice can add extra sleep and speed muscle recovery. Here’s how to use it.
This month’s natural health research roundup: a Japanese cypress oil that improved sleep, a large study showing loneliness may cost years of healthy life, new clues on olive oil and blood sugar, and blueberries and mood.
Ultra-processed foods make up more than half the calories Americans eat. A review covering almost 10 million people linked them to 32 health problems. Here’s what counts as ultra-processed, why it matters, and practical ways to cut back without going to extremes.